Can holding device for ice cream dipping cabinet

ABSTRACT

An ice cream dipping cabinet is provided, comprising a cabinet portion, a cooling room portion, a first ice cream can, a second ice cream can, and a double can-clip. The double can-clip is for clipping corner portions of the first and second can covers and holding the first and second ice cream cans together in place, such that the first and second ice cream cans engage each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a can holding device for ice cream dipping cabinet. More particularly, this invention relates to an ice cream dipping cabinet, in which a plurality of ice cream cans can be held in place for easy handling.

In a regular ice cream dipping cabinet, the ice cream cans are installed loosely in the ice cream dipping cabinet.

In such cases, the ice cream cans could not be held in place while a user works on the ice cream cans. Scooping ice cream from loosely-installed ice cream cans may be quite challenging.

Accordingly, a need for an ice cream dipping cabinet for installing a can easily and securely has been present for a long time considering the expansive demands in the everyday life. This invention is directed to solve these problems and satisfy the long-felt need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.

An object of the invention is to provide a can holding device for ice cream dipping cabinet.

An aspect of the invention provides an ice cream dipping cabinet comprising a cabinet portion, a cooling room portion, a first ice cream can, a second ice cream can, and a double can-clip.

The cabinet portion with an inner compartment connected to a top opening is provided a top portion of the cabinet portion.

The cooling room portion is installed in an upper portion of the inner compartment of the cabinet portion and configured to be cooled by a refrigerating device and accessible through the top opening.

The first ice cream can is disposed in the cooling room portion, and the first ice cream can comprises a first can cover configured to cover a first opening of the first ice cream can.

The second ice cream can is disposed side by side with the first ice cream can in the cooling room portion, and the second ice cream can comprises a second can cover configured to cover a second opening of the second ice cream can.

The double can-clip is for clipping corner portions of the first and second can covers and holding the first and second ice cream cans together in place, such that the first and second ice cream cans engage each other.

The double can-clip may comprise two holding legs and a handle.

Each of the first and second can covers may comprise a plurality of holding holes provided at the corner portions of the can cover, and each of the plurality of holding holes may be configured to receive one of the two holding legs and prevent two neighboring can covers from being free from each other.

The holding leg may be inserted to the holding hole tightly enough to hold the neighboring can covers.

The ice cream dipping cabinet may further comprise a third ice cream can, a fourth ice cream can, and a quadruple can-clip.

The third ice cream can having a third opening is disposed side by side with the second ice cream can.

The fourth ice cream can having a fourth opening is disposed so as to neighbor with the first and third ice cream can.

The quadruple can-clip is for clipping corner portions of the first through fourth can covers and holding the first through fourth ice cream cans together in place, such that the first through fourth ice cream cans engage each other.

The quadruple can-clip may comprise four holding legs and a handle.

Each of the first through fourth can covers may comprise a plurality of holding holes provided at the corner portions of the can cover, and each of the plurality of holding holes may be configured to receive one of the four holding legs and prevent four neighboring can covers from being free from one another.

The ice cream dipping cabinet may further comprise a machine room portion, a bottom cooling room portion, and a supporting step.

The machine room portion is installed in a lower portion of the inner compartment of the cabinet portion, and the machine room is configured to receive a refrigerating device.

The bottom cooling room portion is installed in a lower portion of the inner compartment of the cabinet portion and disposed below the cooling room portion and configured to be cooled by refrigeration.

The supporting step is provided between the cooling room portion and the bottom cooling room portion, and the supporting step is configured for supporting one or more ice cream cans.

The first through fourth ice cream cans are disposed on a rack installed across the supporting step.

The supporting step may comprise a top vertical wall, a bottom vertical wall, and a horizontal ledge disposed between the top vertical wall and the bottom vertical wall.

The four holding legs and the handle may be formed monolithically.

Alternatively, only the four holding legs may be formed monolithically.

The four holding legs may be made of metal, and the handle may be made of plastic.

The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the ice cream can may be held in place using the can holding device; and (2) the ice cream can be stocked in a rather spacious ice cream cabinet without sacrificing holding them in place.

Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view showing four ice cream can covers installed according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view showing two can-clips installed among the ice cream cans in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a double can-clip according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic bottom view showing a quadruple can-clip according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective front view of an ice cream dipping cabinet according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the ice cream dipping cabinet of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional front view of the ice cream dipping cabinet of FIG. 6 along line VII-VII;

FIG. 8 is another perspective top view of upper and lower cooling room portions of the ice cream dipping cabinet of FIG. 5 with a shelf portion installed;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of ice cream cans disposed on a supporting flange portions;

FIG. 10 is a side view of an ice cream dipping cabinet with the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of a refrigerating device for an ice cream dipping cabinet according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide an ice cream dipping cabinet, which overcomes some of the drawbacks of the prior arts.

FIGS. 1-4 show can-clips, FIG. 5-9 show an ice cream dipping cabinet, and FIGS. 10-11 show a refrigerating device according to the embodiments of the present invention.

An object of the invention is to provide a can holding device for ice cream dipping cabinet.

An aspect of the invention provides an ice cream dipping cabinet 100 comprising a cabinet portion 10, a cooling room portion 30, a first ice cream can 81, a second ice cream can 82, and a double can-clip 110.

The cabinet portion 10 with an inner compartment 12 connected to a top opening 14 is provided a top portion of the cabinet portion 10.

The cooling room portion 30 is installed in an upper portion of the inner compartment 12 of the cabinet portion 10 and configured to be cooled by a refrigerating device or refrigerator and accessible through the top opening 14.

The first ice cream can 81 is disposed in the cooling room portion 30, and the first ice cream can 81 comprises a first can cover 91 configured to cover a first opening 81A of the first ice cream can 81 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The second ice cream can 82 is disposed side by side with the first ice cream can 81 in the cooling room portion 30, and the second ice cream can 82 comprises a second can cover 92 configured to cover a second opening 82A of the second ice cream can 82.

The double can-clip 110 is for clipping corner portions of the first and second can covers 91, 92 and holding the first and second ice cream cans 81, 82 together in place, such that the first and second ice cream cans 81,82 engage each other as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The double can-clip 110 may comprise two holding legs 112 and a handle 114 as shown in FIG. 3.

Each of the first and second can covers 91, 92 may comprise a plurality of holding holes 90 provided at the corner portions of the can cover 91, 92, and each of the plurality of holding holes 90 may be configured to receive one of the two holding legs 112 and prevent two neighboring can covers 91, 92 from being free from each other as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The holding leg 112 may be inserted to the holding hole 90 tightly enough to hold the neighboring can covers 91, 92.

The ice cream dipping cabinet 100 may further comprise a third ice cream can 83, a fourth ice cream can 83, and a quadruple can-clip 120 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The third ice cream can 83 having a third opening 83A is disposed side by side with the second ice cream can 82.

The fourth ice cream can 84 having a fourth opening 84A is disposed so as to neighbor with the first and third ice cream cans 81, 83.

The quadruple can-clip 120 is for clipping corner portions of the first through fourth can covers 91-94 and holding the first through fourth ice cream cans 81-84 together in place, such that the first through fourth ice cream cans 81-84 engage each other as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The quadruple can-clip 120 may comprise four holding legs 122 and a handle 124. The shape of the quadruple can-clip 120 may be circle, square, or even a polygon. The same is true for the handle 124.

Each of the first through fourth can covers 91-94 may comprise a plurality of holding holes 90 provided at the corner portions of the can cover, and each of the plurality of holding holes 90 may be configured to receive one of the four holding legs 122 and prevent four neighboring can covers 91-94 from being free from one another.

The ice cream dipping cabinet 100 may further comprise a machine room portion 20, a bottom cooling room portion 40, and a supporting step 50 as shown in FIGS. 5-7.

The machine room portion 20 is installed in a lower portion of the inner compartment 12 of the cabinet portion 10, and the machine room 20 is configured to receive the refrigerating device.

The bottom cooling room portion 40 is installed in a lower portion of the inner compartment 12 of the cabinet portion 10 and disposed below the cooling room portion 20 and configured to be cooled by refrigeration.

The supporting step 50 is provided between the cooling room portion 20 and the bottom cooling room portion 30, and the supporting step 50 is configured for supporting the ice cream cans 81-84.

The first through fourth ice cream cans 81-84 are disposed on a rack 60 installed across the supporting step 60.

The four holding legs 122 and the handle 124 may be formed monolithically.

Alternatively, only the four holding legs 122 may be formed monolithically so as to provide sturdy holding force.

The four holding legs 122 may be made of metal, and the handle 124 may be made of plastic. Of course, the material is not limiting. Any material with a desirable strength may be used for the parts.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, the machine room portion 20 is installed in a lower portion of the inner compartment of the cabinet portion 10, and the machine room portion 20 is configured to receive a refrigerator. The machine room portion 20 is configured to receive parts for refrigerating operation such as the compressor 21, the condenser coil 22, the capillary tube 23, and the evaporator coil 24.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An ice cream dipping cabinet comprising: a cabinet portion having an inner compartment connected to a top opening provided a top portion of the cabinet portion; a cooling room portion installed in an upper portion of the inner compartment of the cabinet portion and configured to be cooled by a refrigerating device and accessible through the top opening; a first ice cream can disposed in the cooling room portion, wherein the first ice cream can comprises a first can cover configured to cover a first opening of the first ice cream can; a second ice cream can disposed side by side with the first ice cream can in the cooling room portion, wherein the second ice cream can comprises a second can cover configured to cover a second opening of the second ice cream can; and a double can-clip for clipping corner portions of the first and second can covers and holding the first and second ice cream cans together in place, such that the first and second ice cream cans engage each other.
 2. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 1, wherein the double can-clip comprises two holding legs and a handle.
 3. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second can covers comprises a plurality of holding holes provided at the corner portions of the can cover, and wherein each of the plurality of holding holes is configured to receive one of the two holding legs and prevent two neighboring can covers from being free from each other.
 4. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 3, wherein the holding leg is inserted to the holding hole tightly enough to hold the neighboring can covers.
 5. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 1, further comprising: a third ice cream can having a third opening disposed side by side with the second ice cream can; a fourth ice cream can having a fourth opening so as to neighbor with the first and third ice cream can; and a quadruple can-clip for clipping corner portions of the first through fourth can covers and holding the first through fourth ice cream cans together in place, such that the first through fourth ice cream cans engage each other.
 6. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 5, wherein the quadruple can-clip comprises four holding legs and a handle.
 7. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 6, wherein each of the first through fourth can covers comprises a plurality of holding holes provided at the corner portions of the can cover, and wherein each of the plurality of holding holes is configured to receive one of the four holding legs and prevent four neighboring can covers from being free from one another.
 8. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 7, further comprising: a machine room portion installed in a lower portion of the inner compartment of the cabinet portion, wherein the machine room is configured to receive a refrigerating device; a bottom cooling room portion installed in a lower portion of the inner compartment of the cabinet portion and disposed below the cooling room portion and configured to be cooled by refrigeration; and a supporting step provided between the cooling room portion and the bottom cooling room portion, wherein the supporting step is configured for supporting one or more ice cream cans, wherein the first through fourth ice cream cans are disposed on a rack installed across the supporting step.
 9. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 8, wherein the supporting step comprises a top vertical wall, a bottom vertical wall, and a horizontal ledge disposed between the top vertical wall and the bottom vertical wall.
 10. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 6, wherein the four holding legs and the handle are formed monolithically.
 11. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 6, wherein the four holding legs are formed monolithically.
 12. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 11, wherein the four holding legs are made of metal.
 13. The ice cream dipping cabinet of claim 12, wherein the handle is made of plastic. 